Love is Easy
by Kate Bing
Summary: An arranged marriage, a borderline anthropophobiac, and a love affair that really really shouldn't be happening. This story (or perhaps I should say three short stories) follows the lives of three women who just wanted to live relatively normal lives. It seemed that fate had other plans. (O.C.s)
1. Arranged Marriage (Aimi)

It wasn't that she didn't want to get married. She did. She just didn't want an arranged marriage. She didn't want to marry someone she didn't love, or someone who only wanted to marry her because of her family name. But she had lost hope of ever finding that man, or rather; she had lost hope of that man ever being able to love her as she loved him. And so, Aimi Akiyama had resigned herself to a lifetime of celibacy. Her mother, on the other hand, had some very different ideas of how her daughter's future was going to play out. She already had a list of suitors from which Aimi was to pick a suitable husband. The only problem now was getting her headstrong daughter to see that arranged marriages weren't such a terrible thing.

* * *

At the Sixth Division barracks, Captain Byakuya Kuchiki was returning to his office after the Captains' meeting when a presence inside the room made him pause at the door. He knew who it was immediately, and though it had been a while since he had last seen her, he heaved a small sigh before entering the room. "You can't keep coming here every time you want to hide from your mother, Aimi." The white-haired Shinigami looked up from where she was sitting, her brown eyes instantly finding his. She smiled at him as she put aside the book she had been reading to give him all of her attention. "It's been a while Byaki, but you still know how to make a girl feel welcome." He inwardly cringed as she used his childhood name; a name he had always hated. He had often protested her use of it, but he had quickly learnt that the more he protested the more she used it. "If you made an appointment or waited outside like everybody else, then perhaps I would be more inclined to give you a polite welcome." He took his place behind his desk and he could feel her eyes watching him as he went about sorting his paperwork. She would now inquire about his work and his younger sister before leaving as she suggested that they meet up some time for a 'drink or something'.  
"So, how's work been? Not too busy I hope."  
He felt the corner of his mouth twitch as he tried to hide a smile. She was so predictable. "No busier than usual. Shouldn't you be doing work right now?"  
Aimi was the third seat of the Second Division. She had the ability to make it to Lieutenant but didn't want the workload that came with it. "I'll go back after lunch," she replied nonchalantly, as if Captain Sui-Feng wouldn't mind her ditching work for the morning. "How's little Rukia?" A quick change of subject and again, Byakuya had to hold back a smile even if he did disapprove of her ditching work. She was just so predictable.  
"Rukia is fine. I'll tell her you asked about her."  
"Thanks. I just don't see you guys enough these days." This was usually the sign that she was about to leave and Byakuya waited for her to rise from her chair and suggest that they meet up, but the seconds passed and Aimi remained seated.  
"Hey Byakuya."  
He looked up from his paperwork, surprised at the sudden serious tone of his friend's voice, wondering if her reason for coming to his office really had been to hide from her mother. "Is something the matter?"  
She heaved another sigh as she sat back in her chair, her eyes turned up to the ceiling. "Mum's been forcing me to go to omiai meetings. She's been relentless these past few days and I've had enough. I'm not going to anymore"  
"Why did you agree to them in the first place?" Byakuya was actually very impressed that Chouko Akiyama had managed to get her daughter to attend the omiai. Aimi hated arranged marriages and was determined never to enter one no matter what that might mean. She had never once given in to her mother's demands to attend omiai meetings. Not once. So what had changed?  
"I'm scared."

* * *

Back at the house, Chouko was ecstatic. Her daughter had finally seen sense and had attended the omiai meetings at her request. She hadn't seemed overjoyed at the idea, but she had shown up and been on her best behaviour. She had been the perfect woman and Chouko couldn't have been more proud of her. Now all that she had to do was make arrangements with the family and hopefully things would move along quickly and without incident. If only her husband was around to see this; he would have been so proud of his little girl finally stepping up and taking her place as a member of the Akiyama family. Aimi's brother too. Chouko knew that Aimi would have wanted her brother with her while all this was happening. But then Chouko remembered that, had the two of them been alive, there was no way Aimi would have ever agreed to any of this and would have continued chasing that Captain of hers. Chouko missed her husband and son, but she knew that Aimi needed to move on and this was the only way she was going to do it. "Now where has that girl got to?"

* * *

"I'm scared, Byakuya."  
Suddenly, Byakuya didn't want to know why Aimi was here. Somehow he knew that he was about to hear something that he'd rather not hear and he wanted her to leave before she could say it. But he was Captain Byakuya Kuchiki. He couldn't let her see that he was rattled. No. Now was not the time to let his emotions be stirred by this troublesome woman that was always showing up at the wrong time. Whatever she had to say, he would hear it without feeling. Whatever it was, she had brought it upon herself and it was none of his business.

"Byakuya. I'm getting married."

* * *

**A/N: For those who might not know, Omiai are marriage meetings. The basic idea is for two people to meet up with intentions of marrying. It's kind of like a blind date but not. The meeting is generally (but not always) set up by the family of the participants. If you google it you can probably find a better explanation, but that's the general idea of omiai.**


	2. First Impressions (Naoko)

Standing against the wall, Naoko suddenly felt a little guilty for eavesdropping on what was obviously meant to be a personal conversation. But she had work to do and that work just happened to lead her to the room within which this conversation was taking place and she had not wanted to interrupt.

She was in the Sixth Division barracks, standing at the side of the door leading to the Captain's room, having stopped at the sound of voices. She hadn't meant to start eavesdropping, but the voices were loud enough for her to hear without trying, and judging from the use of the name 'Byaki', whoever it was that was with him was clearly someone with whom he was close. This, naturally, had intrigued her. No one she knew would ever dare to call the Captain by such a name, especially without using his title. Naoko Fujimoto had only been with the Sixth Division for a short time, but she had learnt very early on that the Captain was someone never to cross, so to hear someone talking to him as this woman was, was a very new experience for the young Shinigami. It was hard not to take an interest.

Whilst trying not to eavesdrop, she had discovered that this woman had recently agreed to get married. The Captain had, of course, congratulated her on her engagement, but as Naoko listened to the words being spoken she realised that neither party seemed to be able to muster the right emotions for the occasion. The woman did not sound at all happy that she was getting married, and the Captain's congratulation was far from sincere. Instead, it came off as cold and empty and Naoko couldn't help but wonder just what the relationship was between these two Shinigami.

"What are you doing here?"  
Naoko jumped at the sound of a voice so close to her. She turned to see the Tenth Division Captain, Toushiro Hitsugaya, standing beside her, those eyes of ice staring at her disapprovingly. "N-n-n-nothing C-Captain Hitsugaya." She could feel her face reddening as she stumbled over her words, overly aware of how close the young Captain was standing to her. Where had he come from? "I was j-j-just waiting t-t-to see th-th-the Captain." Naoko hated how pathetic she sounded, constantly stuttering and stammering, and she could feel her heart rate rising as she began to panic. The young Captain had appeared from nowhere, startling her when she thought she was alone. "I'm okay. It's only Captain Hitsugaya."She started mumbling to herself, trying to calm herself down. "I'm okay. It's only Captain Hitsugaya." Naoko repeated this to herself over and over again; acutely aware of the Captain's eyes watching her.

Toushiro watched as this Shinigami started muttering to herself, staring at her feet to avoid his gaze. _'Am I making her uncomfortable?'_ He wondered. She had seemed a little startled at being confronted by him, but he had noticed her loitering outside Captain Kuchiki's room and thought perhaps she was eavesdropping on the Captain. Before he could do or say anything else to confirm his suspicions, the tiny dark-haired Shinigami suddenly clutched at her chest, her eyes wide as she gasped for breath. _'Shit. She's having a panic attack,'_ he suddenly realised. Without a second thought he grabbed hold of her and steered her into the nearest room; Captain Kuchiki's office. He quickly apologised for the intrusion and asked if there was a paper bag of some kind to hand that he could use. He either hadn't noticed or had chosen to ignore the tense atmosphere in the room; it was none of his business and there were more urgent matters at hand. The woman who was with Byakuya, after a quick glance at the Sixth Division Captain, immediately pulled out a small paper bag and emptied the contents onto the desk before handing it to Toushiro. "Here you go."  
"Thank you." He gave it to the panicking Shinigami and eventually her breathing was back under control. It would seem that the young Captain had given her more of a scare than he had realised.


	3. Drunken Master (Aimi)

Aimi was hiding again. Her mother had been even more unbearable since Aimi had agreed to get married. The woman was just so damn cheerful all the time and Aimi didn't think she could take any more of the "happy" that now swamped their house. Perhaps if Aimi shared the joy that her mother felt then things wouldn't have been so bad, but she didn't. Try as she might she just couldn't muster the energy to be happy. All she could do was escape. Even then she occasionally found herself wandering towards the Sixth Division barracks before she remembered that she couldn't hide out there anymore.  
Aimi had to admit that a tiny part of her had hoped that, upon hearing of her engagement, Byakuya would suddenly realise that he loved her and jump into action, stealing her away from what would have been a loveless marriage. Alas, that hadn't happened and now she felt stupid. He had chosen someone else over her in the past, why would he choose her now? She couldn't face him. She was drawing dangerously close to her breaking point and feared she might say things she would regret. It was much safer to stay out of everyone's way and deal with it by herself. It was the only way she knew how.

* * *

Sitting in a quiet restaurant, a bowl of edamame and a bottle of sake within reach of her hand, Aimi was people watching. It was a favourite hobby of hers and was something she especially liked to do when she wasn't feeling herself. It was fun to plan their lives out when her own wasn't quite working out as planned and it took her mind off things for a while.  
As she was drinking and eating away she saw a familiar face entering the restaurant. It was that blonde-haired Lieutenant from the Third Division. What was his name again?  
"Izuru!"  
He turned at the sound of her voice and offered her a smile as he wandered over. He had someone with him; a young, dark-haired Shinigami that Aimi didn't recognise. _'Girlfriend?'_ She wondered.  
"Akiyama. How are you?" Izuru greeted her politely, bowing his head a little too low for Aimi's liking.  
"Please, call me Aimi. And who's your friend?" She threw back another cup of sake before indicating for the two of them to sit down. Izuru's cheeks glowed pink as Aimi looked to the woman sliding in beside him, a knowing smile on her face. "This is Ame. Ame Hyou. She's a new recruit in the Third Division."  
"Nice to meet you." Ame bowed her head politely, instantly recognising Aimi of the Akiyama family.  
"And you." Now that she had company, Aimi felt it was acceptable to drink a whole lot more alcohol than when she had been by herself, and boy did she need it.

* * *

It wasn't long before Aimi's table was full of people, food, and alcohol. Izuru and Ame had been coming to meet friends and Aimi had insisted that they sit at her table. It was no trouble at all; she wasn't waiting on company. The liveliness of the group (with a little help from the alcohol) had helped take Aimi's mind off of her situation and, just for a short while, she could pretend that she wasn't getting married next month.

"Aimi. I hear you're getting married soon. Congratulations." It was as if the universe didn't want her to forget, and before she could brush it off or deny it, the table was soon full of clicking classes as everyone cheered for Aimi and her engagement. Of course they had heard about it; there was no way her mother could keep this a secret. And she couldn't hate them for congratulating her; it was only natural. Marriages are supposed to be happy occasions. Aimi heaved sighed and forced a smile, raising her own cup to join in. "Thanks everyone." She quickly downed the last of her sake and rose from the table, making her apologies. The illusion had been broken. It was time for her to go. There were some cries of dismay and people asking her to stay, but Aimi smiled politely and made her excuses.

Once outside the effects of the alcohol hit her with full force and Aimi immediately regretted leaving alone. She was never going to make it home. Holding onto a wall for support as she stumbled along the streets Aimi couldn't help but laugh at herself. "Aimi, you idiot. Since when has drinking alcohol ever solved any of your problems?" And the more she thought about it the more she laughed. Pretty soon she was doubled over in stitches, clutching her stomach as the laughter just kept rolling out of her. Once she started she couldn't stop and suddenly everything was hilarious; her engagement, Byakuya, her mother. All of a sudden her life just seemed so comical and she couldn't believe how serious she had been taking everything. So she was getting married. So what? It wasn't the end of the world. So Byakuya didn't love her. She had never let it get her down before, even when he married Hisana. Why should she now? "I love Byakuya. So what? Am I not allowed to love him?" She asked no one in particular and suddenly she felt lighter, as if a weight had been lifted. Just saying those words aloud, even if no one was around to hear them, made her feel so much better. "I'm in love with Byakuya." She straightened herself out, her laughing fit having subsided into intermittent giggles, and continued her journey home, attempting to skip as she went. "I'm in love with Byakuya!" She sang, adding a twirl in her step (which nearly brought her to the ground), her life seeming so much brighter than it had when she woke up that morning. "I'm in love with Byakuya Kuchiki and I'm getting married next month to another man."

Aimi continued her song all the way home, but just as she rounded the corner towards her house she pulled herself back out of sight. Taking a couple of deep breaths she peered around the corner, squinting as she tried to steady her vision. The lights of her house were still on and she could see her mother saying goodbye to someone at the door. Who had been visiting until this hour? But she couldn't see. Her eyelids were growing heavy and she wasn't sure for how much longer she could keep standing. She just wanted her bed. But that person was still standing there and she couldn't show up on the doorstep in her drunken state. No. She would sit down and wait a moment for them to leave, but Aimi knew as she sank to the floor that she had made a big mistake. Within a few seconds of her bum touching the ground she was out like a light. There was no way to fight it. She'd just have to sneak in in the morning and hope nobody happened upon her sleeping there before then. Her mother would be furious.

* * *

The next morning Aimi sat in her office at the Second Division barracks, her stomach churning as she tried to keep her breakfast down. She was staring at the sheet of paper on her desk, but she hadn't read a word of what was on it. Whilst waiting for the Captain and Lieutenant to return from their morning meetings she was trying to piece her night together. She remembered the restaurant, she remembered her journey home, and she certainly remembered falling asleep outside. She just couldn't seem to remember how she had gotten inside. Her mother was already out when she got up so she couldn't ask her. She was so sure that she had fallen asleep outside, so why had she woken up in her bed? "Someone must have carried me in," Aimi eventually concluded, but even then she wasn't so sure. Just then a knock at the door interrupted her thoughts. She looked up to see a timid looking Shinigami, clutching an envelope in her hands. "S-sorry to disturb you, M-m-miss Akiyama." Aimi smiled at her as she beckoned for her to enter the room.  
"No worries. I wasn't doing anything important. What can I do for you… "  
"Er, N-naoko. Naoko Fujimoto."  
"Well, what can I do for you Naoko?"  
"Captain Kuchiki asked me to deliver this to you Miss."  
Byakuya? Aimi reached out for the envelope, curious as to what Byakuya could possibly have to say when they hadn't spoken in about a week. "Thank you." As soon as the envelope was in Aimi's hands, Naoko gave a quick bow and was gone before Aimi had a chance to say anything more. "Was it something I said?" She shrugged her shoulders and soon her attention was back to the envelope. She ripped it open and unfolded the piece of paper that was inside.

_'A woman who is promised to be married next month should not be sleeping at the side of the street. You should apologise to your mother immediately and be thankful that I was the one who found you. That is no way for a member of a noble family to act. Please think about your family's reputation before you go and get blind drunk.'_

Aimi was furious. She hadn't spoken to him in a week and all he could do was scold her! Who on earth did he think he was talking to her like that? Aimi was all ready to storm off to his office when something Byakuya said clicked in her mind and she slumped back into her seat; _'be thankful that I was the one who found you'._ Byakuya had found her sleeping against the wall. He had been the one who carried her into the house. How embarrassing. But when she looked at the note again Aimi noticed a P.S. at the bottom:

_'You owe me for dry cleaning.'_

She groaned and face planted the desk, feeling even worse than when she had woken up. Byakuya was never going to let her live this down.


	4. Dangerous Situation (Ame)

Backed up against the wall, she had nowhere to go as he slowly advanced towards her. How she found herself in this current situation she couldn't quite remember, but she knew that she had to get out of it and she had to get out of it now. Another step towards her and she could feel her heart racing in her chest, her resolve dissolving with the distance between them. She shouldn't be doing this. She _really _shouldn't be doing this. If anyone found out…

* * *

Ame Hyou woke up the next morning with a pounding headache and no recollection of how she had gotten home. She wasn't even sure she remembered leaving the izakaya. Kira had probably walked her home, but she had this niggling feeling at the back of her mind that there was something else; that she was forgetting something important. Ruffling her hair and rolling out of bed, she decided that it was probably nothing and began trying to make herself presentable for work. Ame had only been at the Third Division for a week and did not want her good reputation ruined so early in her work life. People were already talking behind her back, saying that she only managed to get into the Third Division because of Lieutenant Kira; she didn't want to add any more fuel to their fire by showing up to work hung-over and unable to take care of her duties.

Ame had managed to make it to work in one piece, but the time in between her arriving and Kira collecting her for lunch lasted for what seemed like hours. Today was going to be a painfully long day and she was barely half way through it.  
"So how are we feeling today?" Kira asked, hiding a smile behind his onigiri. Anyone with working eyes could see how Ame was feeling.  
"Rough," was her reply. "My head is pounding and my stomach won't stop churning. God, I hope this rice stays down." Kira stifled a laugh as he watched the dark-haired Shinigami beside him, looking so pathetic as she picked at her food. "Why did you let me drink so much?"  
"You seemed fine," he replied. "It wasn't until you tried to stand up that we realised just how drunk you actually were. I'm just glad you made it home okay."  
Ame paused, her chopsticks suspended in mid-air. "Wait. So you didn't walk me home?"  
Kira shook his head. "I tried, but you went to the toilet and never came out. I asked someone to go in to check on you, but you'd disappeared. You don't remember?"  
Ame suddenly had a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. Something was wrong. Although she couldn't remember, she couldn't shake this terrible feeling that something happened; something she really shouldn't have forgotten.  
"Ah, there you are Kira."  
Ame and Kira looked up at the sound of their Captain's voice and something stirred inside of Ame at the sight of the silver haired man now standing before her. "Captain Ichimaru." Kira immediately got to his feet, bowing his head in greeting. Ame followed suit, but was hesitant to look directly at her Captain's face. It was hard to make eye contact with the ever grinning Shinigami anyway, his eyes always seeming to look right through you despite being barely open, but this was different. Ame didn't like the feelings that stirred up when she saw him. They scared her.  
"Is everything alright Ame? You don't look so good."  
"Ah, she's just feeling a little under the weather today," Kira immediately put in, saving Ame from needing to make a reply she wasn't sure she could form at the moment.  
"Is that so? Well, I hope you're feeling better soon."  
Ame bowed her head in reply, still unable to form the words she wanted to say.  
"I know you're having your lunch, but I was wondering if I could borrow you for a moment Kira?"  
"Of course, Captain." Kira turned to Ame with an apologetic smile on his face. "I won't be long."

As soon as the two of them were gone Ame collapsed back onto her seat, her hands shaking as she picked up her chopsticks to finish her rice. She still wasn't sure what had happened, but she knew that it had something to do with Captain Ichimaru. The way he had spoken to her, it was as if he knew something. "ARGH!" Ame threw her food aside, her chopsticks clattering onto the floor. "Why can't I remember anything?"

* * *

It was the end of the day and Ame still hadn't remembered a thing and it was getting her down. She had refused Kira's offer to walk her home because she felt too guilty to face him, but she didn't know why. She was about to explode with frustration when she noticed someone sitting at the side of the street holding their head in their hands. She walked over, unsure whether she should say something when she realised that she recognised this person from the previous night (before her memory had failed her). "Miss Akiyama?"  
The woman looked up at the mention of her name and Ame could have sworn she had seen tears in those eyes, but a second later they were gone and the woman was smiling. "Please, call me Aimi," she said. "I feel so old when people use my last name." Aimi beckoned for Ame to sit beside her. "It's Ame, right? Can I call you Ame?"  
Ame nodded, sitting herself down.  
"You're Kira's girlfriend, right? I mean, he didn't say last night, but I could tell. You two look very cute together."  
Ame was struck with another pang of guilt at the mention of Kira, but the sadness she sensed coming from Aimi as she spoke of the two of them struck her heart more. This was not the way a woman who was engaged to be married should be talking. She should be happy, smiling. She should be glowing. But Aimi wasn't any of these things. Now that Ame thought about it, it was after the mention of her engagement that Aimi had left the drinking party, her exit and excuses a little too rushed.  
"Is everything alright?" Ame asked after Aimi had lapsed into silence, staring at her hands on her lap. For a minute Ame thought she was going to get brushed off. It would have made sense seeing as the two women didn't actually know each other, but Ame got a confession she wasn't quite expecting.  
"Actually, no. Everything isn't alright," Aimi eventually replied with a sigh. "I agreed to an arranged marriage I didn't want. The man I really love doesn't feel the same and seems to have no clue about how I really feel about him. Either that, or he's pretending he doesn't because he's a giant knob-head. And now I owe him for dry cleaning because I threw up all over him after he carried me in from the street where I fell asleep after getting drunk."  
A few seconds of silence passed and Ame was about to say something when Aimi began again.  
"I mean, he's been my best friend for as long as I can remember. How can he not have noticed that I've been in love with him all these years? Is he stupid? He even married some woman he found on the streets when I was right in front of him. What is so wrong with me?"  
Ame listened as Aimi continued her rant, going on to actually list all of her faults and answer her own question. She still hadn't mentioned the name of this man she was in love with so Ame had no idea who she was talking about, but the way Aimi talked about him he sounded a little dense and perhaps a little too kind for his own good. Perhaps it was time Aimi let him go and pay attention to her fiancé. Ame was just about to say this to her when a name finally dropped which made Ame choke on her words.  
"God, I hate that freakin' Kuchiki so much! Thinks he's so much better than everyone else."  
"Byakuya Kuchiki?" They were talking about _the _Byakuya Kuchiki? Tall, dark, cold, stoic. That Byakuya? "Captain Byakuya Kuchiki of the Sixth Division is the best friend you're in love with?"  
"Please, don't remind me," Aimi groaned, letting her head fall into her hands once again and Ame couldn't help but smile. She was glad that she stopped to talk to this woman. Although a little snooty, she was just what Ame had needed to forget about her own problems, not that she could remember what they were.

After parting with Aimi, Ame continued her journey home, pondering all that she had learned of the Sixth Division Captain. Did he really choose some woman off the streets to marry over the woman he had known for most of his life? Or had Aimi been exaggerating out of anger and frustration?  
"I guess that's really none of my business though."  
"And what would that be?"  
Ame froze at the sound of the last voice she wanted to hear, slowly turning around to face the figure standing behind her. She looked up into the silver haired Captain's face, his lips curved into that same smile that sent shivers down her spine. Gin Ichimaru. What was he doing here?  
"Is Kira not walking you home?" He asked when Ame didn't respond to his appearance. "Perhaps I should teach my Lieutenant some manners. Leaving a young woman to walk home by herself at night. You never know what might happen."  
"He- He offered, Captain," Ame managed to force out. The words kept sticking in her throat as she tried to control her pounding heart. "But- But I turned him down."  
It might have just been her imagination, but she could have sworn that she saw his smile widen. It was only for a split second before it was back to his usual, but it was definitely there. He knew something and he wasn't telling her. This annoyed her to no end.  
"What do you know?" She asked him, her frustration suddenly taking over her nerves. Gin feigned innocence, but Ame wasn't buying it. "You know what happened last night, after I left the izakaya. You know what happened, don't you?"  
At her words, Gin moved closer to her causing her to take a step back. "I do know. I know very well, actually."  
"So tell me," Ame demanded, not caring that this was her Captain she was speaking to. He was enjoying her frustration; she could see it in his face. With every step he took towards her, and every step she took back, he was enjoying every second. "Just tell me please." Another step back and Ame felt her back hit a wall. He had cornered her and she couldn't help feeling like she'd been in this position before. A dangerous situation.  
Gin was still smiling as he advanced towards her. "Well, since you asked me so nicely," he said placing a hand against the wall beside her head. "But instead of telling you, how about I show you?"  
This was dangerous. This was very dangerous. Ame had to get out of this situation and she had to get out of it now. The only problem was, as Gin's face moved closer to hers, she wasn't sure that she wanted to.


End file.
